Ixxii. NEIGHBOURHOOD OF SALISBURY MEETING. 



ornaments being used for the repair and decoration of this 

 originally plain arch. The carvings are such as might have 

 decorated an ambo, as we know from early examples. That the 

 opposite arch is plain seems to show that the carvings available 

 were insufficient for the decoration of both arches as they might 

 have been if the supply was derived only from the ambones. 



Resuming their seats in the carriages, the party drove on 

 through a beautiful park-like country to 



LONGFORD CASTLE, 



the residence of Lord Radnor, who had given the Club leave to 

 go over it and to view the valuable collection of pictures it 

 contains. The inspection of the castle afforded very great 

 pleasure to the Club. 



The history of the castle and the list of its art treasures will be 

 found in the catalogue, which can be obtained from the house- 

 keeper of Longford Castle for one shilling. It is not within the 

 province of archaeology or natural history, to which the Club 

 devotes the record of its transactions, to give details of works of 

 art, especially as those details are already in print. It may, how- 

 ever, be said that the fine collection of pictures contains examples 

 of all the principal European schools of painting. 



Amongst the more valuable antiquities which the castle 

 contains is the Imperial chair magnificently wrought in steel for 

 the Emperor Rudolphus II., to whom it was presented by the 

 town of Augsburg in 1572. It was purchased by the second 

 Earl of Radnor, cir. 1790, from a Swedish gentleman, Gustavus 

 Brander, in whose family it had remained since the days when 

 the Swedes looted the Musee des Curiosites at Prague. The 

 name of the artist who executed it was Thomas Ruker. There 

 are inlaid ivory chairs in the same gallery which were brought 

 from India by Warren Hastings for Queen Charlotte. 



To antiquaries the plan of the old castle will be of interest ; it 

 was one which was followed by other builders of the age. 



The plan was prepared by John Thorpe, cir. 1578, at the 

 request of Lady Northampton, the wife of Sir Ed. Gorges, to 



